Tourist Damages Glass Skywalk

In Search of Hope – by Sam Gannon

Seconded to the parish of Tililngdon, the Reverend Dolores has been presented with a challenge.

She’s living in an antiquated house and she’s cold. Furthermore, her new Bishop, Bishop Alice does not approve of ‘showgirls in dog collars.’

Determined to prove the Bishop wrong, she sets about warming her house – who cares if it smells of horse! There is the crochet club, jumble sale, and soup run to organise. And this year, the church bells will ring, no matter what threats are made. Even more so, the newly formed choir will spread a little joy this Christmas, even though they can’t sing – yet! And with a little help from Phil, her bassist, this year could be full of magic.

However, she has a fight on her hands as the townies out in Knob Hill – she must stop calling it that, are trying to stop her from ringing her bells. When Krystal with a K decides to do some volunteer work, Dolores sets out to see just how committed she really is.

Up to her ears in granny squares and squawking choristers, Dolores is revving up for Christmas, yet a deeper darker secret is beginning to emerge!

A secret that could blow the whole parish apart and put Dolores in danger.

(available from Amazon)

A section of the glass floor at the Cabo Girão viewpoint has been covered with a metal plate after reportedly being damaged by a young tourist who threw a stone at it.

The impact cracked one of the layers forming the specially reinforced glass panel. Staff immediately cordoned off the affected area and asked the Regional Laboratory of Civil Engineering to inspect it.

Engineers concluded that the damage had not weakened the platform or posed any risk of the panel collapsing. Glass used in structures of this kind consists of several layers, allowing it to remain secure even when one layer is damaged.

Nevertheless, visitors were prevented from walking over the affected panel as a precaution.

Because suitable replacement glass is not available in Madeira, a metal sheet has now been installed directly over the damaged section. The cracked panel remains underneath and has not yet been removed.

A replacement has been ordered, but its arrival may take some time. The panel must be manufactured specifically for the platform and is designed to withstand loads of between four and five tonnes. Production is reportedly being delayed because the manufacturer is closed during August for its workers’ annual holidays.

The Cabo Girão viewpoint remains open, and visitors are able to traverse the rest of the glass platform normally. The metal covering is only a temporary measure and will be removed when the specially manufactured replacement panel can be transported to Madeira and installed.

The incident was caused by the actions of a visitor and was not the result of wear, poor maintenance or a structural defect in the popular skywalk.

The comments section proved interesting reading, with many wanting the culprit and his family found, fined and deported.

Samantha Gannon

info at madeira-weekly.com